[Coin-rpx] FW: IW Manufacturing Business Challenge - January 2006

[Lowe, Benjamin M (Ben)]

This is an example of how IndustryWeek has begun its problem exchange.  It is titled as a challenge, IW Manufacturing Business Challenge, where people can submit a problem and those who are interested will provide an answer.  What is of interest to me is the incentive for people to provide solutions.  In this case, I believe consulting companies are interested in submitting answers, because it is an easy way to advertise and get potential new clients.
 
For the problem exchange to thrive there needs to be an incentive on the part of both the problem creator and solution provider.   For research folks, is gaining access to a problem and data enough to encourage them to provide a solution?
 
Ben
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: IndustryWeek-Challenge [mailto:IW_Challenge at nls.industryweek.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2006 11:41 AM
To: blowe at lucent.com
Subject: IW Manufacturing Business Challenge - January 2006



Thank you for registering to receive the IW Manufacturing Business Challenge, an IndustryWeek custom e-newsletter sponsored by SAP. Please find this month's Challenge below:

	
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This Month's Challenge*

Measures That Matter 
How to define, capture, and share results of a lean implementation. 

I am the director of operations for Treffling Tanks, a U.S.-based maker of industrial compression tanks used in manufacturing, construction, and refining industries. We have hundreds of customers in each industry sector, buying a vast range of products by volume and usage requirements. Over the last year, we have focused our efforts on lean initiatives. Although we have made progress, our current measurement system does not support our new processes.

I've been asked by the executive team to quantify our results, define critical measures for a lean organization, and establish information tools so that we can effectively measure and regularly "see" our progress toward objectives. The CEO, COO, and other colleagues have suggested some ideas on where we focus, but I would like some external opinions about how to define the goals for the company and down through the plants, as well as hear what information should be captured and shared -- and how to do that.

* The Challenge incorporates hypothetical persons, companies, and products and does not portray the
actions of any actual persons, companies, or products. 

Click  <http://nls.industryweek.com/t?ctl=1DA90:C69C> here to read Expert Solutions to this month's Challenge from Terence T. Burton, president of The Center for Excellence in Operations Inc., a management consulting firm specializing in lean, six sigma, supply chain, and accelerated product development, and John E. Boyer, president of J.E. Boyer Co. Inc., a management education and consulting firm. You'll also find the SAP White Paper "Adaptive Business Networks: A Strategy For Mastering Change And Efficiency In Manufacturing." Ideas to grow your business and this month's Readers Poll are just a click away.



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